Hastings in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Double Bridges and the Old King's Road 1772

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, February 28, 2007

1. Double Bridges and the Old King's Road 1772 Marker

Inscription. The King's Road, an overland highway constructed during Florida's British Colonial period (1763-1784), once traversed the Double Bridges property at this location. The road spanned Pellicer Creek, Hulett Branch, and swamp wetlands over a system of wooden bridges and raised earthen causeways. This crossing has long been called Double Bridges, named for the unusual combination of the two spans built so close together. Remnants of the King's Road, marked by road cuts through high sandy bluffs and a short section of a causeway, are visible here. A longer section of causeway can be seen on the south side of Pellicer Creek. The bridges are gone, but remaining piers and extensive earthworks serve as monuments to this historic crossing. The causeways and bridges, spanning some 625 feet of swampland, were once an important part of the 18th century road that connected St. Augustine and New Smyrna. This major project, commissioned in 1772, was built to solidify East Florida as the British Crown's 14th colony. Double Bridges and the Old King's Road were recorded to the Florida Master Site File as historic sites 8SJ4892 and 8SJ4893

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in 2002.

Erected 2005 by The Double Bridges Community and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-545.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1772.

Location. 29° 39.047′ N, 81° 17.465′ W. Marker is in Hastings, Florida, in St. Johns County. It is on Dark Horse Lane 0.2 miles south of County Route 204, on the right when traveling south. Marker is in a gated community, so access is limited. Marker is at the end of Dark Horse Lane. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 235 Dark Horse Ln, Hastings FL 32145, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in First Coast

and in Greater Jacksonville.

It is also in the American South

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States

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of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Historical and Archaeological Sites (approx. half a mile away); The History of Hewitt Sawmill (approx. half a mile away); Colonial Road (approx. half a mile away); Colonial Buildings (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Mechanics of the Sawmill (approx. 0.6 miles away); Sweat & Sawdust Life at the Mill (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Kings Road (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Hewitt Sawmill Dam & Pond (approx. 0.6 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 25, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 764 times since then and 115 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on May 25, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.

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